Continuous Motion Packaging Machine With Carton Turning Station

ABSTRACT

An article packaging machine and method or turning article packs, the article packaging machine having a turner station for turning article packs moving though the packaging machine. The packaging machine includes a main conveyor extending longitudinally from an upstream end to a downstream end and through the turning station. Article packs are carried by the main conveyor spaced and sequentially in the downstream direction through the turner station. The turner station includes flight drive assembly having multiple flight assemblies. The flight assemblies are driven above upper cam plates in the upstream direction, and below lower cam plates in the downstream direction. The flight assemblies include turner rods that are moved toward the main conveyor to contact the article pack in at least two points. The turner rods progressively move toward the main conveyor center line until the distal ends of the turner rods are moved past the article pack side walls and the pack is turned 90 degrees.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/260,858, filed Jan. 29, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/623,208, filed Jan. 29, 2018, andU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/644,019, filed Mar. 16, 2018.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/260,858, filedJan. 29, 2019, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/623,208, filedJan. 29, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/644,019,filed Mar. 16, 2018, are hereby incorporated by reference for allpurposes as if presented herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a carton turning unit especiallyadapted for a continuous motion packaging machine, and to thosepackaging machines that incorporate these turning units or stations.Packaging machinery that place products, such as cans, bottles and othercontainers into cartons, including paperboard cartons, are well known.These packaging machines include, but are not limited to, those whichplace articles or products into a wrap-type cartons, basket-type cartonsor sleeve-type cartons. In some packaging machines, it is desirable toturn or rotate a carton or pack as it travels uninterrupted along a pathof travel on a conveyor.

BACKGROUND

One example of a packaging machine that packages articles, such as cansor bottles into a wrap-type carton is the Marksman® brand machines,including the Marksman® MM16HSi brand machine manufactured by GraphicPackaging International, LLC. Other types of packaging machines areespecially adapted to package products into sleeve-type or fullyenclosed cartons and into basket-type cartons, such as Graphic PackagingInternational, LLC's Quikflex® and Autoflex® brand machines. Many ofthese machines include one or more elongate conveyor systems orassemblies that extend from a carton blank feeder positioned at a firstend or upstream section, to a second end or downstream section where thefilled cartons or packs are discharged. The main conveyor movesarticles, such as bottles or cans, and the carton blanks that becomefilled packs, through the machine toward the downstream or dischargeend. Positioned along the main conveyor are various units or stationsthat incorporate the necessary components that perform requiredfunctions with the articles or the carton. For example, in packagingmachines designed to process wrap-type cartons, at the upstream sectionthe products are delivered adjacent to the machine in mass, and moved toan article or product selection station where they are grouped intodesired configurations, such as a 2 by 3 article group, a 2 by 2 group,2 by 6 group or a 3 by 4 group of articles. Other group configurationsare possible. In a machine that packages articles in a wrap-type carton,a carton blank feeder delivers carton blanks, one at a time, to astation that wraps the blank around a formed article group, such as agroup of six articles (a “6 pack”) arranged in a 2×3 configuration.These wrap-type carton blanks have a locking assembly, typically tabsand either slits or holes, that cooperate or engage with one another onopposite bottom edges of the carton to close the wrap-type carton blankaround the article group. All of these functions occur while the articlegroup is moving continuously in the downstream direction on a mainconveyor. Another element, such as a wheel or cam surface can tuckcarton flaps to secure the articles into a filled pack. After the cartonblanks are wrapped around the product group in this manner, the group isheld securely within the now formed and filled carton or pack. As usedherein the term “carton blank” refers to either a flat blank or to acarton blank that has been partially constructed, for example by gluing,especially as in sleeve-type and basket-type carton blanks. The term“carton” or “pack” refers to a carton blank that has been fullyassembled either around or that contains the articles.

Various Marksman® brand packaging machines have been developed byGraphic Packaging International, LLC and are in commercial use. Thesemachines include features such a product diverter station positioned atthe downstream end of the machine, that can divert a packaged cartongroup or pack into selected lanes for a variety of purposes, such as todirect packs to an area for palletizing. Some packs that do not meet thepack quality requirements are diverted to a pack reject lane. SomeMarksman® brand machines also include a pack turning unit that turns orreorients the pack as it is in continuous motion through the machine inthe downstream direction. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,447,incorporated herein in its entirety by reference and assigned by thecurrent applicant, discloses a packaging machine having a main rod-typeconveyor system that supports a slat bed, and a filled a pack turnerassembly that is at least in part positioned below the main machineconveyor system. A pack divider section also is disclosed. Theturner/divider unit disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,447, for example,includes pins that extend downwardly from the slats riding on therod-type continuous motion conveyor, and also pins that project upwardlyto contact the sides of the pack. A main conveyor extends essentiallythe length of the packaging machine downstream of a feeder to thecollection tray or to another conveyor. A cam track positioned below themain conveyor and the slats receives the downwardly extending pins tofacilitate turning the pack on the slats. The divider section ispositioned downstream of the turner unit. Other types of turning unitsor stations in packaging machines also are well known, includingoverhead turning units that contact and turn the carton from above themain conveyor using a turner head that engages the top portion of themoving pack, which is then rotated by the overhead assembly. This isshown, for example in EP 0471450 A1. Prior machines also have used themethod of turning the pack from below using two different speed belts orconveyors. Principally underside turning is also known that includespins on slats, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,338. This Marksman® brandmachine that includes a pack diverter unit or station is capable ofmoving the packs transversely with respect to the longitudinal directionof operative movement of the main rod conveyor in order to place eachpack in the proper position or lane for exiting the machine. Cartonblanks adapted to wrap around an article group and machine elements toaccomplish that are well known, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,536 andU.S. Pat. No. 6,550,608, both owned by Graphic Packaging International,LLC, the present owner of the inventions disclosed herein and both ofwhich are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

SUMMARY

The present invention includes improvements over known packagingmachines, the turning assemblies for continuous motion packagingmachines, and the method of packaging and turning the packs. Theinvention disclosed herein utilizes pack turning assemblies havingflight drive assemblies positioned on each side of the main conveyordownstream of the article wrapping station where the articles aresecured into the carton or pack. This flight drive assembly includeselements, such as flight assemblies having turner rods. Each flightassembly includes turner rods to contact the two sides of a filledcarton, or pack, in locations on the sides of the packs that are bothupstream and downstream, respectively of the pack center point (top wallcenter point) as viewed from above the pack. This contact with theturner rods extending progressively transversely to the main conveyordirection and opposing flight drive assemblies will push and so turn thepack on top of the slats. In this operation, the distal ends of theturner rods extend past the pack side walls before being retracted. Thisextension of the turner rods controls the turning of the pack,especially at high speeds of, for example, 400 packs per minute, andkeep the packs from overturning, or turning past the desired amount asshown herein. During the contact of the turner rods with the pack, theflight assemblies that are contacting the moving packs are also beingdriven progressively in the downstream direction in timed relationshipwith the packs, which direction is in the downstream moving direction ofthe main conveyor. The turner rods eventually are retracted and removedfrom contacting the pack, and driven by drive belts upstream withrespect to the conveyor direction, that is, in the opposite direction ofthe top of the main conveyor that supports the packs, to a startingposition to again contact and turn another pack. This upstream movementoccurs after the packs have been turned, and the turner rods releasecontact with the moving packs. The push rods or turner rods are mountedto flight assemblies that travel on belts or chains around the flightdrive assembly that supports the belts and allow the belts to move theflight assemblies in timed relationship to the packs moving downstreamon the main conveyor during the turning phase of the pack. Numerousflight assemblies spaced at desired locations are carried on the flightdrive assembly. For example, with a packaging machine operating to fillapproximately 450 six packs in a 2×3 arrangement per minute, there canbe 10 flight assemblies on each flight drive assembly. More or lessflight assemblies can be included on the flight drive assemblies,depending upon factors such as machine/conveyor speed and pack size andconfiguration. After the flight assemblies release contact with therespective pack, those flight assemblies are driven back in the upstreamdirection relative to the conveyor's operative movement to a startingposition, in order to repeat the process on another pack.

Each turner rod can be driven inwards and outwards, toward and away fromthe centerline of the main conveyor. There are identical flight driveassemblies and flight assemblies of the pack turning assembly that arepositioned across from each other along the main conveyor at the desiredposition to turn the pack, that is, typically between the carton blankwrap station and the diverter station and pack accumulation area. If apack diverter station or unit is included, that diverter unit isposition adjacent to the machine discharge end, downstream of the turnerunit. The flight drive assembly moves each flight assembly by a drivebelt in a path around the elongate flight drive assembly as discussedherein, so that a flight assembly can be positioned to turn a pack, andthen moved around the downstream end of the flight drive assembly andthen back in an upstream direction to operatively engage another pack asit moves downstream. A turner rod in its operative position in oneembodiment of the flight assembly extends toward the pack and ispositioned to contact the pack forward or downstream of the pack centerpoint, as defined herein, as the pack moves downstream while the pack isresting on slats. The second or opposite flight drive unit, that ispositioned on the opposite side of the main conveyor from the firstflight drive unit and also carrying identical flight assemblies,includes cooperating turner rods that extend transversely toward thefirst flight drive assembly. This second flight drive assemblycooperates with and is timed with a corresponding flight assembly of thefirst flight drive assembly so that an opposite turner rod of the secondflight assembly contacts the same pack rearward or upstream the packcenter point. These cooperating turner rods on flight assemblies ofopposing flight drive units are positioned so that the space between therespective rods is approximately equal to a pack width, as measuredalong the pack's shorter side dimension. In, for example, a 2×3 articleconfigured carton that has a shorter side dimension and a longer sidedimension, the turner rods contact the pack approximately a pack widthboth upstream and downstream from the pack center point. In a pack thatholds articles in a 2×3 arrangement, the pack exits the carton wrappingassembly with the shorter dimension of the pack oriented downstream.This orientation has the 2 articles leading the pack in the downstreamdirection, along the longitudinal path of the main conveyor as the packapproaches the pack turner station. A carton pitch station, thatincludes two pitch drive assemblies having chains or belts that carryspaced lugs in order to create the proper longitudinal distance or pitchbetween successive packs, include pitch drive assemblies on oppositesides of the main conveyor. The pitch drive assemblies move the spacedlugs faster than the main conveyor speed, so that a lug from each pitchdrive assembly contacts a pack simultaneously to accelerate that pack onthe slat bed, and so create the proper carton pitch. This carton pitchstation is positioned along the main conveyor between the pack wrappingstation and the pack turning station.

As the flight assemblies continues to extend the opposing andcooperating turner rods towards the centerline of the main conveyor, toturn the pack, the pack eventually is rotated approximately 90 degrees.After the pack is turned by the cooperating turner rods, the pack now isoriented on the slat bed of the main conveyor with the 2 article sidefacing in the transverse direction to the longitudinal path of the mainconveyor, and the 3 article side facing forward or downstream as thepack continues to move toward the machine's discharge end. Once the packis fully rotated, the opposing push rods then remain in contact with theupstream side or side wall and the downstream side or side wall,respectively, of the pack, while the pack still is moving downstream onthe slat bed by the main conveyor and toward the diverter stationadjacent the discharge end of the machine. In this position, thecooperating push rods now stabilize the pack as it continues to movedownstream and prevent over turning. The turner rods are then removedfrom contacting the carton as described herein, or mechanicallyretracted transversely and away from the conveyor's longitudinalcenterline. Such retraction of the turner rods will withdraw theseturner rods from an operative position in order to not interfere in thetransfer of the pack to the diverter station or machine discharge area.

The flight drive units positioned opposing one another on each side ofthe main conveyor can be driven together by a mechanical drive take offfrom the main machine drive assembly. Otherwise, the flight drive unitscan be driven separately, in timed relationship, by separate driveassemblies using either conventional, such as mechanical drives from themain machine drive, or by separate servo motors that are timed with themovement of the main conveyor. Either way the flight drive assembliesare actuated, the drive which is utilized permits the timing of the pushrods to the moving pack. Each type of flight drive assembly also isadjustable in order to allow for the flight assemblies and the push rodsto be selectively positioned along the flight drive assemblies atvarious positions to contact the moving pack in the desired areasforwardly and rearwardly of the pack center, regardless of the size ordimensions of the pack. As referenced herein, the number of flightassemblies is determined by the pack dimensions and speed of the mainconveyor, the number of filled packs per minute, such as in the exampleabove. As with either a conventional drive, that is mechanical drivefrom the main machine, or with a servo drive, the drive for the flightdrive assemblies can incorporate a common head shaft. However, ifseparate drives and head shafts for each flight carrying unit, betterpack clearance and access to the carrying unit may be accomplished.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an additional turner rodor rods, such as two spaced, parallel turner rods on each flightassembly, both extending toward the conveyor centerline and the articlepack, may be utilized on each flight assembly in order to pre-turn thearticle packs. This embodiment is useful, for example, to rotate packsthat are square and so having sides or side walls of equal dimensions,such those wrapped around and carrying articles in a 2×2 or a 3×3arrangement. In this embodiment, one of the two rods is moved forward ofits companion rod on the flight assembly in order to contact the packside wall before the adjacent rod on that flight assembly contacts thepack side wall. This effectively allows for pre-turning of the squarepack by one of the pair of rods and the adjacent rod to complete thepack turn. These rods also can be controlled to move both toward andaway from the main conveyor centerline (that is in the ‘inward’direction and the ‘outward’ or transverse direction, respectively), toaccomplish the pre-turning and proper positioning or squaring of thecarton on its slat bed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the packaging machineof the present invention showing the carton blank feeder, articlewrapping station and the area where the pack turning station ispositioned.

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the turning station of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded top view of the turning station of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the turning station of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the flight drive assembly of FIG. 5,taken along lines 6-6.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the turning assembly of the presentinvention with the top plates of each flight drive assembly removed fromview.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the flight drive assemblies ofthe present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a flight assembly of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a flight assembly of the presentinvention positioned with a cam follower within a cam track of a lowercam plate.

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of spaced flight assemblies of the presentinvention each positioned with a cam follower within a cam track of alower cam plate.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the article turner station and the flightdrive assemblies of the present invention.

FIGS. 11-17 are bottom plan views of the flight drive assemblies of thepresent invention with associated flight assemblies progressively moveddownstream in the sequential views.

FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of the flight drive assemblies of thepresent invention.

FIG. 19 is a schematic plan view of and alternate embodiment of thepresent invention used for turning square article packs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention discloses a continuous motion packaging P machinehaving a carton or pack station turning T (FIG. 2). The presentinvention is described herein for use in packing machines designed topackage articles in a wrap-type carton, such as the Marksman® brandpackaging machine referenced herein. It is possible, however, for such aturning unit to be employed with other types of packaging machines, suchas those adapted to place articles into a sleeve-type carton or abasket-type carton if desired. For the purposes of disclosing thepresent description, however, a packaging machine adapted to packagearticles in a wrap-type carton is discussed.

The packaging machine P includes any well-known article input station(not shown) where the articles 9 (FIG. 2) are delivered in mass and thengrouped onto slats S supported by the main conveyor C into the desiredarticle configuration. The article group typically is comprised of cansor bottles, that are glass or plastic, but can include any articles 9that can be placed into a wrap-type carton, a sleeve-type carton or abasket-type carton. The cartons or packs 11 can be comprised ofpaperboard, but also can be of any suitable natural fiber or syntheticmaterial. The various types of packaging machines, including thosereferenced herein, typically include a carton blank feeder F that ispositioned at the upstream end 1 of packaging machine P, which alsocorresponds with the upstream end of a main conveyor. The main conveyorC runs essentially the length of the packaging machine from upstream end1 adjacent to the carton feeder, to a downstream end 2 adjacent to anaccumulation or delivery area (not shown). The pack 11 accumulation areareceives the fully loaded or packed cartons. As shown in FIG. 1 anddescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,447, there also can be an articlediverter unit D downstream or adjacent to the machine end 2 . Otherwise,the filled packs can be received upon a dead plate or other conveyorseparate from the main conveyor C, downstream of end 2 without packdiverting, for movement away from the end 2 of the packaging machine P.Generally a number of the grouped packs are palletized. A carton blankwrap station (not shown) receives individual blanks B from feeder F andwraps the carton blank B over the article group, as is well known. Asdiscussed herein, the “transverse direction” is normal to thelongitudinal direction of conveyor C, which downstream, longitudinaldirection of the main conveyor is indicated by arrow A. The longitudinalcenterline of the conveyor C runs through the center point of theconveyor C, measured transversely, and is parallel to the side edges ofthe conveyor C. Conveyor C is a looped conveyor, and so the conveyorwill be moved back upstream, under the top of the conveyor as shown inFIG. 1, after it delivers the packs 11 to the accumulation area. FIG. 1also shows the slat bed, or slats S, attached to and carried by the mainconveyor C in order to support the filled cartons or packs 11.

In a Marksman® brand wrap-type machine, the wrap station (not shown)receives the carton blank B and places or wraps the blank over thearticle group to secure the articles into the locked pack 11. Thisprocess is accomplished continuously and sequentially during operationof the packaging machine P. In these wrap-type packaging machines thatpackage the articles 9, in, for example, a 2×3 arrangement having twoshorter side edges (the “2 by” article sides) and a longer side edges(the “3 by” article side), the leading or downstream side of thepackaged carton 11 as the carton moves in the downstream direction,arrow A, immediately away from the carton blank wrap unit W is that endof the carton surrounding two articles 9 of the group (the “2 by”article side). FIG. 1, illustrates packs 11 in a 2×3 article (cans)arrangement having opposing shorter sides that are partially open,opposing longer sides and a top wall or side as the carton leaves thewrap station and moves on conveyor C into the pack turning assembly T.The packs 11 also include a bottom wall or side (not shown) that inwrap-type cartons includes the carton locking arrangement. The leadingside of pack 11 in this position, therefore, is the shorter side of thepack, as measured in the transverse direction to the longitudinalcenterline of the main conveyor. The longer side of the carton or packin this position containing this 2×3 arrangement therefore extends alongthe longitudinal direction, or direction of flow of the main conveyoralong arrow A as the carton leaves the carton wrap station. It isdesirable, however, in some instances then to rotate the loaded cartonapproximately 90 degrees so that the longer side (the “3 by” articleside in a 2×3 article configuration) leads in the direction of arrow Aafter wrapping station W and prior to its delivery to the diverter unitor to a pack accumulation area (not shown). This second orientation,following pack 11 rotation, can facilitate pack 11 handling as the packsare gathered for palletizing.

The present invention includes a pack turning assembly or station Tpositioned along the conveyor C between the carton wrap station (notshown) and the pack diverter area 7 or the article accumulation area(not shown) that is downstream of the pack diverter area 7 (FIG. 1). Thepack turning assembly T includes opposed flight drive assemblies 10 and12 (FIG. 2) spaced along the main conveyor C, with flight drive assembly10 on the left side of the main conveyor C and flight drive assembly 12on the right side of the main conveyor C, as viewed in the downstreamdirection. The flight drive assemblies 10 and 12 are positioned oppositeone another on each side of the main conveyor C, such as the rodconveyor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,407 referenced herein. Theseflight drive assemblies 10 and 12, however, can be located in anyavailable position of packaging machine P after wrapping station W andbefore the diverter station or the pack accumulation area.

Continuous motion packaging machines typically include a frame 5 thatsupports the main conveyor C (FIG. 11). The frame 5 can supportcomponents of the packaging machine both from below the machine conveyorC and from above the conveyor C as shown in FIG. 1. The main conveyor Ceither is driven from a gear or pulley take-off of the main machinedrive, or by separate servo motors, as is well known. As discussedherein, the flight drive assemblies 10, 12 are timed with the movementof the main conveyor C. The flight assemblies 13, 14 (FIG. 2) arethemselves adjustable along the length of the flight drive assemblies10,12. The conveyor C in one example of the present invention is thesame type of rod conveyor pulled or carried by chains connected to eachend of the transversely extending, parallel rods, as disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 7,553,407. The conveyor C carries a series of slats S betweeneach transverse conveyor rod 8, which slats S are designed to supportand carry respective packs of articles above rods 8 toward the dischargeor downstream end 2 of the conveyor C and toward a collection tray or anarticle diverter unit. Since the slats are attached to the conveyor Cbetween the parallel conveyor rods 8, the slats S can move with conveyorC around the head drive shaft (not shown) and the tail drive shaft (notshown). The conveyor C, therefore, is driven from the machine upstreamend 1 and toward the machine downstream end 2, to convey both articles 9and packs 11 along a downstream longitudinal path of travel in thedirection of arrow A toward the downstream end 2. Various other units orstations can be supported by frame 5 on one or both sides of the mainconveyor to accomplish tasks, including grouping articles, effectingplacement of articles into a carton, and tucking or folding variousparts of the carton.

At the upstream end 1 of the conveyor, the carton blank feeder F pickscarton blanks B, one at a time, from a carton supply magazine M. Alsopositioned at or near the upstream end 1 of the machine is an articlegrouping station (not shown) that places articles 9 in a desiredgrouping configuration onto the main conveyor. Such article groupingstations are well known. The article group is conveyed to a wrap station(not shown) downstream from the article grouping station. This cartonwrap station receives a carton blank B from the carton blank feeder F,places the carton blank over and around the article group, and locks thewrap-type carton blank B around the article group to form an enclosedcarton or pack 11 filled with articles 9. Often such filled packs 11have one or both of the shorter end sections at least partially open,with some flaps tucked downwardly or inwardly into the pack 11 tostabilize the article group within the pack.

The filled packs 11 of articles 9 then are moved on the conveyor slats Sfurther downstream toward a discharge end 2 of the machine. In the caseof a wrap-type pack 11 with the articles in a 2×3 configuration or anyconfiguration having longer side edges and shorter side or end edges, atthis position before the packs are turned, a shorter side edge of thecarton (FIG. 1) is the leading or downstream side in the direction ofthe main conveyor direction of movement, arrow A. These packs 11 thenconsecutively and continuously pass through pack turning station T.

The turning assembly or station T of the present invention, however,differs from the turning assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,407,in that the packaging machine P of the present invention includes adifferent method and apparatus for turning the packs 11. The turningmethod and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,407 is notutilized in packaging machine P of the present invention. Fight driveassemblies 10 and 12 function cooperatively to turn the filled pack 11as the packs are moved continuously toward the downstream end 2 byconveyor C. The packs 11 of FIGS. 1-18 are 2×3 packs with longer andshorter sides. Each of these assemblies, 10 and 12, have identicalelements, except for the exact shape of their respective cam tracks, asshown and discussed herein. FIG. 2 shows the bottom view of flight driveassemblies 10 and 12, and includes the downstream directional arrow A,the downstream moving direction of conveyor C. Flight drive assembly 10(on the left side of conveyor C, as shown in FIG. 2) includes severalflight assemblies 13 spaced from one another (FIG. 10), although forillustration in FIG. 2, only one complete flight assembly 13 is shown.Flight drive assembly 12 (on the right side of conveyor C, as shown inFIG. 2) also includes several flight assemblies 14 spaced from oneanother, although for illustration, also only one complete flightassembly 14 is shown in FIG. 2. The flight assemblies 13 and 14 includelinear bearings, rods and shafts commercially available from PBC Linearof Rockford, Ill.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show flight drive assemblies 10 and 12 in exploded orpartially exploded views. Each flight drive assembly supports upper andlower beds that define cam tracks therein, head and tail gears that pullbelts to move the flight assemblies and to which each flight assembly isattached, and the necessary frame elements to support these components.As discussed herein, these principal components drive the flightassemblies that include turner rods, from a starting position and thenprogressively moved in the downstream direction, beneath and across alower plate that includes a first cam track. This cam track of the lowerplate causes the turner rods to be moved toward and away from the pack11 and longitudinal centerline of conveyor C. The flight assemblies thenare further driven around a head or drive gear and thereafter in theupstream direction, across an upper plate that also includes adifferently shaped, second cam track that further actuates and retractsthe rods until the flight assemblies are moved around a tail drive gearand to their initial starting position. The cam tracks defined by eachplate of flight drive assemblies 10 and 12 are further discussed herein.The positioning and use of several, spaced flight assemblies 13 and 14that are driven by each flight drive assembly accomplishes thesequential turning or rotation of consecutive packs 11 moving throughturning assembly T. This sequential turning of continuously fed packs isdue to the actuation of the cooperating and opposing turner rods. Thisturning is accomplished continuously from turning the first contact ifthe turner rods until the pack is fully rotated, approximately 90degrees, with certain phases illustrated in FIGS. 11-17 on consecutivepacks 11, and is timed with the movement of the packs 11 downstream onconveyor C.

In FIG. 3, flight drive assembly 10 (shown in a top, exploded view)includes frame assembly 20′ that supports upper plate 21′, lower plate22′ and pulleys or gears 23′, 24′, 25′ and 26′. Similarly, flight driveassembly 12 includes frame assembly 20 that supports upper plate 21lower plate 22 and gears or pulleys 23, 24, 25 and 26. While thecomponents of frame assemblies 20 and 20′ of the present invention areshown in FIG. 3, those skilled in the art understand that the frameassemblies 20 and 20′ could include other elements, as long as therespective upper and lower plates and the gears of each flight driveassembly are appropriately supported. FIG. 4 illustrates anotherexploded view of flight drive assemblies 10 and 12. In FIG. 4, flightbelts 31 and 32 also are shown on flight drive assembly 12. Flight belt31 loops around pulleys or gears 23 and 26, while flight belt 32 loopsaround gears 24 and 25. The flight drive assemblies 10 also include aflight belt (not shown) looped around gears 23′ and 26′, and anotherflight belt (not shown) looped around gears 24′ and 25′ just as withflight drive assembly 12. The gears 25′ and 26′ are connected by a heador drive shaft 33, and gears 23′ and 24′ are connected by a tail shaft33′. Pulleys or gears 23 and 24 are supported by tail shaft 35′. Curvedsweeps, such as sweeps 16 and 16′, preferably are mounted to each frameassembly adjacent to and spaced from pulleys or gears 25, 26, 25′ and26′ to protect the flight assemblies 13 and 14 as they are driven aroundthese pulleys. Head shaft 33 also carries an adjusting pulley or gear34, so that shaft 33 can be rotated using gear 34 when the flight driveassembly 10 is in a stopped mode, in order to adjust the belts (notshown) around the gears of assembly 10 either in the upstream or thedownstream directions, as desired, and thereby adjust the starting andpack 11 engaging positions of the flight assemblies carried by thosebelts, as discussed herein. The use of such adjusting gears to positiona shaft and accompanying drive gears is well known.

Similarly, gears 25 and 26 of flight drive assembly 12 are connected byhead or drive shaft 35. An adjusting pulley or gear 36 is carried byhead shaft 35 so that the shaft 35 can be rotated using gear 36 when theflight drive assembly 12 is in a stopped mode. Shaft 35 and gears 25 and26 thereby can be rotated, adjusting the longitudinal positions of belts31 and 32 around the gears of assembly 12. This adjustment of the belts31 and 32 will change the starting and engaging positions of each of theflight assemblies 14 carried by those belts, identically as discussedwith the belts of flight drive assembly 10. The flight drive assembliesalso can be driven either by servo motors connected to drive shafts 33and 35, respectively, or by a mechanical drive take off D (FIG. 5) fromthe main machine drive (not shown) so that the flight drive assemblies10 and 12 are moved in timed relationship with conveyor C. In FIG. 6,shown with top plates 21, 21′ removed and not shown, which is takenalong cross-section 7-7 of FIG. 18, frame assemblies 20, 20′ that areutilized to support the cam plates are depicted. As discussed herein,however, any suitable frame for the flight drive assemblies that willsupport the elements of those flight drive assemblies, including the camplates, pulleys and flight assemblies.

As shown in FIG. 7, flight assembly 13 of flight drive assembly 10 isconnected to belt 37 at one end and belt 38 an its opposite end, so thatassembly 13 is moved or driven by belts 37 and 38, with belt 37 beingdriven around pulleys or gears 23′ and 26′, and belt 38 being drivenaround pulleys or gears 24′ and 25′. Belts 37 and 38 are driven togetherby drive shaft 33. Also, flight assembly 14 is connected to belt 31 atone end and belt 32 an its opposite end, so that assembly 14 is moved ordriven by belts 31 and 32, with belt 31 being driven around gears 23 and26, and belt 32 being driven around gears 24 and 25. Belts 31 and 32 aredriven together by drive shaft 35. As FIG. 7 shows the drive assemblies10,12 from a bottom view, the flight assemblies 13,14 are driven in thedirection of arrow A, the main conveyor direction as it moves the packsin the downstream direction. Flight assembly 13 and flight assembly 14include identical elements and features. Assembly 13 includes flightshafts 40 and 40′ (FIGS. 7,8) which are mounted by pins or other similarelements to belts 37 and 38 near to their opposite ends 42, 43, and 44and 49.

The flight shafts 40 and 40′ pass thorough a block, such as bearingblock 45 that contains the liner bearings referenced above, so thatblock 45 can slide along the flight shafts both toward and away from theconveyor C longitudinal centerline and toward and away from flight driveassembly 12. FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of a flight assembly 13 withthe block 45 separated from rods 40 and 40′ for illustration. Block 45generally is triangular-shaped and defines an enclosed channel 46 alongits length on one side (FIG. 8). Flight shaft 40 is received withinchannel 46. The side of block 45 that defines channel 46 is thedownstream side of the block 45 as the block 45 moves across and beneathplate 22′ in the downstream direction, arrow A. Block 45 also defines asecond, but open channel 47 at the opposite side from channel 46, asshown in FIG. 8. Flight shaft 41′ is received within channel 47. Channel47 therefore is “C-shaped” with an open side 48 facing in the upstreamside of the block 45 as the block 45 moves beneath and across plate 22′in the downstream direction, arrow A. Flight assembly 13 also includes aturner rod 50 that mounted by pins or other suitable elements to linearblock 45 along its top side 51 through holes 52 and 53. Turner rod 50defines a free or distal end 55 extending toward flight drive assembly12, which end 55 preferably is not flat, but a tapered shape such asbeing rounded, to facilitate the type of contact with and turning of apack 11, as discussed herein. The turner rods could be any cylindricalshape with a hemispherical end out of any material or a rectangularshape with a distal end having a curve or radius. The distal end 55 ofthe rod can have a plastic tip to facilitate smooth contact and movementagainst a pack 11 side. As the block 45 slides on flight shafts 40 and40′ as described herein, the turner rod 50, being attached to block 45,also moves both toward and away from the conveyor C centerline andtoward and away from flight drive assembly 12. A cam follower 56 (FIG.9) extends upwardly from liner block 45 and is received within a camtrack 70 of bottom or lower plate 22′ in this view.

Flight assembly 14 includes flight shafts 60 and 60′ that are identicalto flight shafts 40 and 40′ (FIG. 7) that are mounted by pins or othersimilar elements to belts 31 and 32 near to their opposite endsidentically to the mounting of flight shafts 40 and 40′ to belts 37 and38. Flight assembly 14 also includes a block 45. Channel 46 defined bylinear block 45 of assembly 14 receives flight shaft 60 while channel 47having open or “C-shaped” side 48 receives flight shaft 60′. Assembly 14also includes a turner rod 50 mounted to block 45, identically to themounting of turner rod 50 of flight assembly 13. As with flight assembly13, the side of block 45 that defines channel 46 of assembly 14 is thedownstream side of the block 45 as the block 45 moves beneath and acrossplate 22 in the downstream direction, arrow A. The open and oppositeside 48 of block 45 of assembly 14 therefore faces in the upstream sideof the block 45 as the block 45 moves beneath and across plate 22 in thedownstream direction, arrow A. The free or distal end 55 of turner rod50 of assembly 14 extends toward flight drive assembly 10. The end ofturner rod 50 as shown in FIG. 9, however, is not rounded but is taperedon opposite sides at end 55, which tapered end also facilitates theturning of a pack 11. As the linear block 45 slides on flight shafts 40and 40′ (or 60 and 60′ in assembly 14) as described herein, the turnerrod 50, being attached to block 45 of flight assembly 14, also movesboth toward and away from the conveyor C centerline and toward and awayfrom flight drive assembly 10. As flight assembly 14 passes beneath andacross lower plate 22, assembly 14 also includes a cam follower 56extending upwardly from its block 45 and is received within a cam track71 of bottom or lower plate 22. FIG. 10 shows cam follower 56 of flightassembly 13 being driven in the direction of arrow A within cam track70.

As stated above, the drive pulleys or gears 25, 26, 25′ and 26′ of theflight drive assemblies 10 and 12 can be driven by servo motors (notshown). For example, there can be ten flight assemblies 13, 14 equallyspaced apart associated with each flight drive assembly, 10,12 and movedin timed relation to the conveyor C speed so that an assembly 13 and 14are positioned to contact and turn each consecutive pack 11 as it movesthrough turner assembly T. More or less flight assemblies 13, 14 can beutilized, depending upon the conveyor C speed and spacing of packs 11along the conveyor.

FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a turner assembly T with packs 11consecutively moving along conveyor C in the downstream direction ofarrow A between flight drive assemblies 10 and 12, respectively. Whenviewed from above (FIG. 10) the drive belts 31, 32, 37, and 38 aredriven in the upstream direction of arrow A′, opposite the direction ofarrow A when pulled across upper plates 21 and 21′. The turner rods 50of the flight assemblies 13 and 14 move progressively toward theconveyor C centerline as they are driven back upstream in the directionof arrow A′, opposite arrow A. (FIG. 18 shows the profiles of cam tracks92 and 92′). As the flight assemblies 13,14 move around their respectivehead or drive gears and are positioned just over the downstream end ofupper or top plates 21,21′, the ends 55 of the turner rods 50 arepositioned the furthest from the conveyor C centerline. In thisposition, turner rods 50 and are positioned or retracted away fromsuccessive packs as the flight assemblies are driven to the initialstarting position. As also shown in FIG. 10, the pack 11 enters theturner assembly T with its shorter side, or “2 by” side, in thedownstream direction along conveyor C.

As discussed further herein and shown in FIGS. 11-17, the flight shafts50 of each flight assembly 13,14 on opposed flight drive assemblies 10,12 are actuated as they are driven beneath and across lower plates 22,22′ to extend towards pack 11 to contact pack 11 and assist in turningthe pack. As the pack 11 moves further downstream through turnerassembly 11, each flight assembly 13, 14 is driven around theirrespective tail gears 23, 23′, 24 and 24′ as described herein, andactuated by the engagement of cam followers 56 in respective cam tracks92, 92′ defined in plates 21 and 21′, respectively to move back awayfrom the contacted pack 11 and be driven by its flight drive assemblyback to a starting position, where the process is repeated. As the packs11 exit the turner assembly, the longer or “3 by” side of the 2×3configured pack 11 now is positioned in the downstream directionindicated by arrow A.

FIG. 10 also shows adjacent flight assemblies 13, 14 spaced along belts31, 32, 37 and 38. The flight shafts 50 of adjacent flight assembliesare adjustable relative to each other, and so can be adjusted to havetwo product diameters (for example, can diameters) between them byadjusting one or other of the drive pulleys by adjusting gears 34 and36, respectively. In the case of standard U.S. sized, 12 ounce beveragecans, the width dimension of a standard U.S. 12 oz. beverage canapproximately 2.60 inches. The servos or mechanical take-offs drivingthe drive pulleys or gears then is timed to the parent machine conveyorC so the midpoint of the width between the pair of adjacent turner rods50 is at the center point of the pack 11 along its upper side and centerpoint of the machine pitch, which pitch is equal to the distance in thelongitudinal direction, between center points of adjacent packs 11passing through turner assembly T

FIGS. 11-17 show a plan view of turner assembly T, with the orientationof pack 11 progressively changing by rotation of packs 11 on slats Sfrom the upstream end to the downstream end of assembly T by contactwith turner rods 50 on flight assemblies 13, 14. Therefore it isunderstood that packs 11 are contacted and turned as the flightassemblies are moved under and across plates 22 and 22′. It is notedthat in FIGS. 11-17, many of the adjacent flight assemblies 13 and 14associated with opposing and cooperating flight drive assemblies 10, 12have been removed for illustration purposes, the arrangement of adjacentflight assemblies 13, 14 being shown in FIG. 11. FIGS. 11-17, also showthe blocks 45 and flight shafts 50 in various transverse positions asthey are moved progressively downstream. The turner rods 50 areseparated from their associated support or flight shafts 40 and 40′, forillustration. It is understood that each flight shaft pair 40, 40′associated with a block 45 also remains attached to block 45 and movesalong with and supports block 45 as it moves downstream, as shown inFIG. 11.

In FIG. 11, viewing the flight drive assemblies 13, 14 from below,flight assembly 14 is in an approximate starting position 85, which istowards the upstream end of flight drive assembly 12. Any position alongeach flight drive assembly 10, 12 of flight assemblies 13, 14 , however,could be considered a starting position, since the flight assembliesmove in a closed loop path of travel. Similarly, flight assembly 13 offlight drive assembly 10 is in its starting position 85′. As discussedherein, the starting positions of flight assemblies 13,14 are adjustedusing adjusting gears or pulleys 34, 36 so that the opposing flightshafts 50 of assemblies 13, 14 will contact a pack 11 laterally from thepack 11 center point 86 (FIG. 12). Also, the movement of the blocks 45and associated cam follower 56 along the respective cam tracks 70, 71causes the blocks 45 and flight shafts 50 to move toward and away frompack 11. FIG. 11 shows the distal ends 55 of respective flight shaft 50just contacting the opposed, longer sides of pack 11. As the flightassemblies 13, 14 are moved further across plates 22 and 22′ by belts31, 32, 37 and 38, the movement of the cam followers 56 along the camtrack causes the rods 50 to move progressively towards pack 11, andprogressively turn or rotate the pack. In FIG. 12, the pack 11 isstarting to be rotated further about its center point 86. FIG. 13 showsflight assemblies 13, 14 moved further in the downstream direction ofarrow A, with the pack 11 being further turned or rotated. At thisposition the pack 11 is rotated between opposite contact arms 88 and 88′(FIG. 18), mounted adjacent flight drive assemblies 13 and 14respectively. Contact arms 88 and 88′ are spring loaded and attached toa machine P stop switch (not shown) so that if a pack is pushed in onetransverse direction or another sufficiently to contact and move eitherarm 88 or arm 88′ sufficiently, the machine stop switch is activated tostop the machine. This prevents the machine from crushing a pack 11 ifthe pack 11 is not rotated, but pushed transversely, out of the centerof conveyor C. FIG. 14 shows the pack 11 fully rotated, with opposingrods aligned with the longer sides of pack 11. In this position theblocks 45 and associated cam followers 56 are nearly at the apex 89 and89′ of cam tracks 70 and 71, respectively. FIG. 15 shows the fullyrotated pack 11 moved further downstream from its position alongconveyor C toward the downstream end 2 of machine P. At thislongitudinal positon, the respective cam followers 56 of linear blocks45 are at the respective apex positions 89 and 89′ of their associatedcam tracks 70 and 71. Also at this position the turner rods 50 of flightassemblies 13 and 14 are positioned transversely to extend at thefurthest lateral or transverse positions toward the opposing flightdrive assembly, 10 or 12 and the centerline of conveyor C. The turnerrods 50 in this position and the position shown in FIG. 14 assist incontrolling the article packs 11 during higher machine speeds, such as400-450 packs per minute. This turner rod 50 positioning of opposedflight assemblies 13,14 also stabilizes each article pack 11 as itcontinues to move downstream and prevents over turning by the turningpack's inertia.

FIG. 16 shows the blocks 45 moved past the apex portions 89, 89′ of camtracks 70, 71. At these positions along cam tracks 70,71, the opposedturner rods 50 are caused to move with blocks 45 away from thecenterline of conveyor C, so that turner rods 50 slide along the sidesof pack 11 to prepare to release pack 11 from engagement with turnerrods 50. FIG. 17 shows the turner rods 50 in nearly fully retractedpositions, with the distal ends 55 of turner rods 50 being clear of theedges of pack 11. The turner rods 50 can be retracted even slightlyfurther than shown in FIG. 17 to ensure that the ends 55 of the flightshafts do not contact packs 11 as the packs are moved downstream andaway from turner assembly T, toward either a pack 11 diverter station ora pack 11 accumulation area (not shown).

As can be seen in FIGS. 11-17, the shape of cam tracks 70 and 71 in theplan view includes an initial sloping section 90 and 90′, starting atcam follower guide G and G′, and then towards the centerline of conveyorC and to apex positions 89 and 89′. Cam tracks 70 and 71 each theninclude a downstream sloping section 91 and 91′ which both slopeoutwardly away from the centerline of conveyor C to guides H and H′. Thelength and angle of the cam tracks can be changed by changing cam platesin order to alter the speed of the article pack 11 turning. Also, thecam track profile can be similarly adjusted to change the rate of radialarticle pack rotation so that the rate can be reduced as the distal endsof the turner rods 50 approach being opposite each other. The guides Hand H′ guide the cam followers 56 from lower plates 22 and 22′ to thecam tracks 92 and 92′ (FIG. 19) defined in upper plates 21 and 21′. Theguides G and G′ guide cam followers 56 from the cam tracks 92 and 92′defined in upper plates 21, 21′ to cam tracks 70 and 71, respectively,defined in lower plates 22 and 22′. As shown in FIG. 19, starting atguides H and H′, the cam tracks 92 and 92′ are shaped to include initialstraight portions 95 and 95′ that are aligned with guides H and H′. Thecam tracks 92 and 92′ then extend inwardly (that is toward the conveyorC centerline) by sloping portions 94 and 94′ and then upstream straightportions 93 and 93′, which align with guides G and G′ respectively. Theupper plate cam tracks 92 and 92′ receive the respective cam followers56 of each flight assembly 13,14 and those flight assemblies 13, 14 aredriven around pulleys 25, 26, 25′ and 26′ and simultaneously throughguides H and H′ and back in the upstream direction, arrow A′. Theinwardly sloping cam track sections, 94 and 94′ cause the flightassemblies 13,14 to be moved slightly inwardly toward conveyor C,passing over the packs 11 that are moving on conveyor C in thedownstream direction, arrow A. The cam followers 56 and their respectiveflight assemblies 13,14 then enter cam track sections 93 and 93′,respectively and into their respective guides, G or G′ as the flightassemblies are driven around pulleys or gears 23, 24, 23′, 24′. Afterthe cam followers of the flight assemblies pass around these pulleys atthe upstream end of assemblies 10, 12, those cam followers 56 of flightassemblies 13, 14 then enter the cam track 70 for flight drive assembly10 and cam track 71, for flight drive assembly 12. The flight driveassemblies 13, 14 are again positioned at the approximate startingpositions 85 and 85′ (FIGS. 11-17). It is possible to reverse the upperand lower cam plates so that the cam track moving the turner rods 50toward the main conveyor C centerline is facing upwardly and the camtrack moving the rods 50 away from the main conveyor C centerline isfacing downwardly.

As these cam followers 56 simultaneously enter cam tracks 70, 71 atstarting positions 85, 85′, the process of progressively moving theflight assemblies 13, 14 toward the pack 11 as discussed herein, toeventually contact the pack 11 at points both ahead and behind the packcenter point, and so turn or rotate the pack so that the longer sidefaces in the downstream direction.

Another embodiment of the present invention is used for tuning squarearticle packs. FIG. 19 schematically illustrates a second type of flightassembly and associated cam tracks. All other elements of the presentinvention are the same as described above, except for the flightassemblies and the shape of the cam tracks. The second embodimentincludes additional turner rod or rods 50, 50′, such as two spaced,parallel turner rods on each flight assembly 13′ and 14′, both extendingtoward the main conveyor C centerline and the article pack or carton11′. The turner rod 50 is positioned with its distal end 55 ahead of thedistal end 55′ of turner rod 50′ toward the longitudinal center line ofthe main conveyor C. The alternate flight assemblies for turning squarearticle packs may be utilized on each flight assembly 13, 14 of eachflight drive assembly 10, 12 in order to pre-turn the packs. Thisembodiment is useful, to rotate packs that are square and so havingsides or side walls of equal dimensions, such those carrying articles ina 2×2 or a 3×3 arrangement. This alternate embodiment effectively allowsfor pre-turning of the square pack by one of the pair of turner rods 50and the adjacent rod 50′ to complete the pack turn. These rods also canbe controlled to move both toward and away from the main conveyorcenterline (that is in the ‘inward’ direction and the ‘outward’ ortransverse direction, respectively), to accomplish the pre-turning andproper positioning or squaring of the carton on its slat bed. Each rod50, 50′ includes separate cam followers 39, 39′. The cam plate 96defines 2 cam tracks 97, 97′, preferably in the shapes illustrated. Thecam followers 39, 39′, respectively, are driven though their associatedcam tacks 97 and 97′, so that the turner rod 50 is positioned ahead ofturner rod 50′ as the turner rods approach contact with article pack11′. As the flight assemblies 13′ and 14′ are driven further downstream,the slope of the cam tracks (FIG. 19) brings the distal ends 55, 55′into alignment. FIG. 19 also schematically illustrates a rectangulararticle pack 11 (a “2×3” pack arrangement) for comparison of turning thepacks 11, 11′ in each embodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: moving a carton blank froma carton blank feeder to an article wrap station; wrapping the cartonblank around a group of articles to form an article pack; positioningthe article pack on a conveyor; driving the conveyor to move the articlepack downstream in a longitudinal direction; activating at least oneflight drive assembly positioned along the conveyor, the activating theat least one flight drive assembly comprising moving at least one flightassembly along a lower portion of the at least one flight drive assemblyin a first path and moving the at least one flight assembly along anupper portion of the at least one flight drive assembly in a second paththat is different from the first path; and contacting the article packwith a turner rod extending from the at least one flight assembly toturn the article pack on the conveyor.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe at least one flight assembly comprises a bearing block, the turnerrod coupled to the bearing block and extending toward the conveyor. 3.The method of claim 2, wherein the bearing block comprises a camfollower, the lower portion of the at least one flight drive assemblycomprises a lower cam plate having a cam track for at least partiallyreceiving the cam follower, and the upper portion of the at least oneflight drive assembly comprises an upper cam plate having a cam trackfor at least partially receiving the cam follower.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the moving the at least one flight assembly in a firstpath comprises moving the cam follower along the cam track of the lowercam plate, and the moving the at least one flight assembly in a secondpath comprises moving the cam follower along the cam track of the uppercam plate.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the first path andthe second path are at least partially defined by movement along adirection transverse to the longitudinal direction to position theturner rod a preselected distance from the conveyor.
 6. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the activating the at least one flight drive assemblycomprises driving a pair of spaced apart belts around the at least oneflight drive assembly, and wherein the at least one flight assemblycomprises at least one flight shaft coupled to the pair of spaced apartbelts, the bearing block slidably coupled to the at least one flightshaft.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the moving the at least oneflight assembly in a first path comprises sliding the bearing blockalong the at least one flight shaft such that the turner rod movestoward or away from the conveyor, and wherein the moving the at leastone flight assembly in a second path comprises sliding the bearing blockalong the at least one flight shaft such that the turner rod movestoward or away from the conveyor.
 8. The method of claim 3, wherein theupper cam plate is positioned over the lower cam plate.
 9. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the upper cam plate is spaced apart from the lower camplate such that a gap is formed therebetween, and wherein the activatingthe at least one flight drive assembly comprises moving the at least oneflight assembly across the gap.
 10. The method of claim 4, wherein theat least one flight drive assembly is a first flight drive assembly, theat least one flight assembly is an at least one first flight assembly,and the method further comprises activating a second flight driveassembly positioned along the conveyor opposite the first flight driveassembly, the activating the second flight drive assembly comprisingmoving at least one second flight assembly along a lower portion of thesecond flight drive assembly in a first path and moving the at least onesecond flight assembly along an upper portion of the second flight driveassembly in a second path that is different from the first path alongthe second flight drive assembly.
 11. The method of claim 10, whereinthe method further comprises contacting the article pack with a turnerrod extending from at least one second flight assembly in cooperationwith the turner rod extending from the at least one first flightassembly to turn the article pack on the conveyor.
 12. A method ofturning an article pack, the method comprising: positioning an articlepack on a conveyor; driving the conveyor to move the article packdownstream in a longitudinal direction into a turning station comprisingat least one flight drive assembly positioned along the conveyor;activating the at least one flight drive assembly, the activating the atleast one flight drive assembly comprising moving at least one flightassembly along a cam track in a lower cam plate of the at least oneflight drive assembly and moving the at least one flight assembly alonga cam track in an upper cam plate of the at least one flight driveassembly; and contacting the article pack with a turner rod extendingfrom the at least one flight assembly to turn the article pack on theconveyor.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one flightassembly comprises a bearing block having a cam follower for being atleast partially received in the cam track of the lower cam plate and thecam track of the upper cam plate, the turner rod coupled to the bearingblock and extending toward the conveyor.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein moving the at least one flight assembly along the cam track inthe lower cam plate and moving the at least one flight assembly alongthe cam track in the upper cam plate each comprise at least partiallymoving the turner rod in a direction transverse to the longitudinaldirection.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the cam track in thelower cam plate defines a first path relative to the longitudinaldirection, the cam track in the upper cam plate defines a second pathrelative to the longitudinal direction, and the second path is differentthan the first path.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the upper camplate is positioned over the lower cam plate.
 17. The method of claim12, wherein the at least one flight drive assembly is a first flightdrive assembly, the at least one flight assembly is an at least onefirst flight assembly, and the method further comprises activating asecond flight drive assembly positioned along the conveyor opposite thefirst flight drive assembly, the activating the second flight driveassembly comprising moving at least one second flight drive assemblyalong a cam track in a lower cam plate of the second flight driveassembly and moving the at least one second flight assembly along a camtrack in an upper cam plate of the second flight drive assembly
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises contacting thearticle pack with a turner rod extending from at least one second flightassembly in cooperation with the turner rod extending from the at leastone first flight assembly to turn the article pack on the conveyor.